News

M4 flip leads to drive ban

A DRINK-DRIVER who flipped his car on the M4 in April has been banned from driving for 38 months after a court heard it was not his first offence.

Ezekiel Ojo was driving through Swindon on April 5 when he lost control of the vehicle, striking the side of the carriageway and causing his car to overturn.

A blood test taken some time after the event showed Ojo to be over the drink-drive limit of 80mg, and after hearing he has been convicted in the past of failing to provide a sample to officers, the 43-year-old, of Wainbrook Drive, Bristol, was banned from driving for 38 months.

Pauline Lambert, prosecuting, said: “On April 5 Ezekiel Ojo is on the M4 when he loses control of his vehicle, striking the near-side of the carriageway and causing the vehicle to flip.

“Police and ambulance attended, and when police attended the scene they smelt alcohol on Mr Ojo’s breath.

“Mr Ojo was taken to Royal United Hospital in Bath where blood samples were taken reading 85mg of alcohol in the blood (the legal limit is 80mg per 100ml of blood).

“Mr Ojo already has a failing to supply sample recorded against his name dating from back in 2009, after which he received a fine and disqualification from driving for 12 months and was offered a drink-drive package.”

Stephen Clifford, defending Ojo, said the ban would have a severe impact on his client’s work and family life.

“Following the first offence he was offered the drink drive rehabilitation course ,which he accepted,” said Mr Clifford.

“The early disqualification was then reduced to nine months.

“On the day in question he had visited his son and had a glass of wine and thought he was still fine to drive.

“By no means did he believe he was over the limit and should not have been driving at that particular point in time.

“He appreciates any disqualification will have devastating consequences because he is the sole provider for his family. He works as a warehouse operator and is required to drive on public roads for his job, but as a consequence of this he anticipates that he will almost certainly lose that employment.”

Miss C Bode, chairman of the bench, said: “For this offence we will be fining you £300, in addition to which you will make a contribution to court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £80.

“We are also disqualifying you from driving for a period of 38 months. This means you cannot drive any motor vehicle on a road or in a public place from this moment until the end of the disqualification on November 2, 2017.